Magic Kingdom News and Photos

Hello, and welcome to Dateline Disney World! This week, we are heading to the Magic Kingdom bright and early to check out what’s happening at the park. But first, a bit of news from around Walt Disney World.

Flying Fish located on Disney’s BoardWalk recently reopened with a re-imagined dining experience. The reopening comes with a wonderful new menu featuring many seafood-centric entrées. Reservations are highly recommended, an evening on the Boardwalk is always very popular!

Halloween is right around the corner and “Club Villain” is back at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This special event is hosted by your favorite Disney Villains and is perfect for the whole family! The party starts September 2 nd and runs until the end of October. You’ll want to book your experience soon! This event is always a popular and a much less scary Halloween option everyone can enjoy!

If you’re visiting Town Center at Disney Springs, “Blaze Pizza” just opened a quick serve restaurant where you can build your own specialty pizza. This location participates in the Disney Dining Plan and was designed to recreate a mid 1800’s era sawmill. You can even enjoy your custom created pizza on the covered patio overlooking the waterfront!

Animal Kingdom hours are soon to be shortened, in part because the peak summer season is ending. However, the Orlando Sentinel pegs the cuts on the further delay Rivers of Light and soft attendance. Closing will drop from 11pm (as it was for most of the summer) to 9pm in September and as early as 6pm in November. Hours will likely jump back up as soon as Avatar Land and River’s of Light debut.

Now, on with the show . . .

Rocks and fences should keep you out of the lagoon and away from the Gators.

The Polynesian is our first stop.

With early park hours in the summer, you can see beautiful morning light on the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Welcome to the Magic Kingdom!

Large crane in place behind Cinderella Castle. Probably to start holiday light installation.

You aren’t allowed to walk in this tiny area!

Workers all the way at the top of the Castle.

Swiss Family Treehouse is still closed for refurbishment.

Big Thunder Mountain closed recently for a lengthy refurbishment.Here’s hoping with get a similar grand finale to the ride like the Disneyland version installed after their big refurb.

Storyline reason for closure: goat infestation.

Another view of all the scaffolding on Big Thunder from across the river.Another view of the castle crane.These warning sings won’t be going away for a while.The rumors were true! A Muppet themed street show, retelling American history, is coming soon to Liberty Square.

The new show is called “The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History.” The Disney Parks Blog explained the new show. Sounds really fun:

Sam Eagle, the fiercely patriotic American eagle who is forever trying to set a high moral standard for the Muppets, will join Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo and James Jefferson, town crier of Liberty Square, as they gather outside The Hall of Presidents to present historical tales in hysterical fashion as only they can. From the midnight ride of Paul Revere to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Muppets appear throughout the day to share with Guests, their own unique take on the founding fathers and the birth of the United States of America.

Featuring an original song and plenty of wacky Muppets humor, “The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History” will make its debut in October 2016.

The Riverboat was down for about two weeks, but is back up now. The station, however, is still being worked on.

Picture scrim still up at the Haunted Mansion.

The backside of crane!

Hard to see it here, but Enchanted Tales with Belle is all covered in black tarps. A picture scrim will probably come soon.

A while back, we commented on how gross and old looking the banners at Storybook Circus were.Glad to report that they’ve been replaced with bright and colorful new versions!Although the ones back by the meet and greets are still in need of changing.

Star Wars Tsum Tsums are in Tomorrowland and they are really cute.As well as Rogue One t-shirts. Anyone catch the killer trailer that came out last week? We posted it in MiceChat’s Star Wars News on Friday.This electric box is where the old Avenue of the Planets sign was, which was recently removed.

Uptown Jewelers is currently closed, so Disney is using these signs to draw people down the side street to the Pandora entrance.

Dapper Dans!Time to head out for this week.

That does it for this week! Do you like what you see? Will the Muppets fit in Liberty Square? Excited for Big Thunder to get some much needed TLC? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

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